Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Spring break in Cincinnati

We finally took our long-awaited spring break trip to Cincinnati, and it was a wonderful time. So many great memories! This was our first time back there since two Christmases ago, so way too long.

The drive was an easy 12 hours with the speed limit usually 70, and so much pretty scenery along the way. The views in North Carolina and Tennessee had me wanting to plan a mountain vacation next. I think my mom may have assigned me the duty of planning us a mountain vacation. It would be perfect being able to meet in the middle.

It made it a little easier to say goodbye knowing that my parents and my brother Scotty and his family will be making their way down here in a couple months, and we'll be staying together at Folly Beach in Charleston. But I really, really miss everybody, and I don't know yet when I'll see my sisters again. It's hard being so far away.

We couldn't have asked for better weather, and we did a lot of fun outdoor things. The kids were in heaven with how much there is to see and do here. Their cousins got to play hooky from school a couple times and do things with them. They're growing so fast. When we all got together, it was gangly legs and elbows all around.

I simply cannot seem to put together any coherent blog posts anymore, so now I'll just share our best pictures.

We went to Krohn Conservatory and saw the butterfly exhibit there.

We stayed at my parents' house and the kids played with Georgie, the sweetest little dog ever. She's a Boston Terrier and French bulldog mix, but I would never know about the Frenchie part to look at her. Even Annie, who doesn't like dogs or really any living thing bigger than a butterfly, could not resist Georgie, and the two of them were snuggling in a chair by day 3 of our visit.

We went out to dinner by ourselves at least twice. Luxury.

The kids fished at their Uncle Scotty and Auntie Faith's house. Little Scotty (in the striped shirt) was very patient about all the kids taking turns with his fishing pole.

My sisters Anna and Grace and I took the kids to the zoo one day. It was overcast and with just a little chill in the air, which is perfect zoo weather as far as I'm concerned. All other trips to the zoo in my memory are sweaty walks up and down the big hills. The tulips were gorgeous.

In the picture below, Delaney was showing Papaw all the money in her little blue purse. I love that porch. Dad had just finished that before we got here. Behind the porch you can see the deck, and there's a pool behind it. Doesn't get any better than that!

On our last day there we went to Sawyer Point and walked, biked, rollerbladed, and scootered across the Purple People Bridge and got ice cream. It was quite a parade of us. The round trip was about four miles total, and all the kids did really well. I didn't have to carry anyone's bike or scooter.

We were all way too spread out to get a picture of everybody, so at one point Faith and I just told all the kids we had in that vicinity to pose together for a picture.

Here are the five of us siblings. There are three pregnant sisters in this picture: Anna on the far left is due with baby #4 in November, and Grace in the middle is having her first in late July or early August. And of course there's moi.

L-R: Anna, Sophie, Grace, me, Scotty

And then we drove home.

We stopped for lunch right after crossing into NC, both on the way there and the way back, and you can't beat the views. There were hills for the kids to run down and roll down, so it made for a nice little break in a long day of driving.

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About Me

Hi! I'm Rachael: Catholic, Marine wife, coffeeholic, clutterphobe, free range parent, and on again/off again runner. I am hopelessly awkward but I mean well. This blog is my journal, occasionally cheap therapy, and most of all a fun way update faraway family and friends. Welcome!